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Wana Brands Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.8M
Grant Range
$0K - $0.4M

Wana Brands Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,779,670 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $53 million
  • Grant Range: $250 - $400,000
  • Median Grant: $5,000
  • Number of Grants (2023): 105
  • Geographic Focus: National (U.S.)
  • Application Method: Invitation only / No public application process

Contact Details

Website: https://wanabrandsfoundation.org/

Location: Boulder/Louisville, Colorado

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. There is no public application portal or process.

Overview

The Wana Brands Foundation was established in December 2021 by Nancy Whiteman, CEO and co-founder of Wana Brands, with a $50 million endowment from proceeds of Wana's sale to Canopy Growth Corp. Since its founding, the foundation has distributed over $12 million to more than 150 nonprofit partners across the United States. The foundation's mission is "enhancing our world by giving people the resources they need to live happy, healthy lives" through trust-based philanthropy. The foundation operates on four key strategic principles: innovation, intersectionality, capacity building, and balancing long-term solutions with immediate needs. In 2023, Wana Brands Foundation was named the 2023 Corporate Changemaker by Rocky Mountain Equality. The foundation's annual #4ward20 campaign, launched in 2021, reached the symbolic $4.2 million donation milestone in April 2024.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not have traditional grant programs with specific application cycles. Instead, it identifies and proactively supports organizations aligned with its mission through trustee discretion and community input.

Recent Grant Examples (2023-2024):

  • Johns Hopkins University - Psychedelics Research: $400,000 (2023)
  • Johns Hopkins University - Cannabis Research: $200,000 (2023)
  • CCD Foundation - Moonshot for Equity Initiative and Scholarships: $200,000 (2023)
  • Our Academy - Social Impact Scholarship MJ Unpacked: $156,000 (2023)
  • Out Boulder County - "We All Belong Here" Capital Campaign: $500,000
  • Boulder Pride/Out Boulder County - Capital Campaign: $150,000 (2023)
  • Levitt Pavilion Denver - Future Fund Capital Campaign: $100,000 (2024)
  • Community College of Denver - "Close the Gap" Scholarships: $150,000 over 3-5 years
  • Cozy Coats for Kids: $1,000 (2023)

Priority Areas

The foundation supports organizations across eight primary impact areas:

  1. Education - Access to quality educational resources with focus on equity gaps in historically underserved communities; scholarship programs

  2. Research - Groundbreaking research in psychedelics, cannabis, and cancer treatment; transformative therapeutic approaches for mental health and serious illnesses

  3. Food Security - Organizations addressing food insecurity at national and local levels; nutritious food access; food waste reduction

  4. Shelter - Initiatives eliminating homelessness and providing housing resources

  5. Basic Needs & Crisis Support - Essential services (food, shelter, safety); rapid emergency response to disasters, displacement, conflict, and mental health crises

  6. Mental Health & Well-Being - Mental health research, affordable care access, community well-being strengthening services

  7. Sustainability & Environment - Climate action, environmental justice, circular economy promotion, ecological resilience; reversing and alleviating climate change

  8. Equity, Opportunity & Advocacy - Addressing systemic barriers; racial justice; LGBTQ+ protections; gender equity; community advocacy; cannabis justice (expungement, reentry support)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's public materials do not explicitly list exclusions. However, based on their focus areas, the foundation prioritizes direct service organizations and research institutions aligned with their eight impact areas.

Governance and Leadership

Nancy Whiteman, Founder: Nancy Whiteman established the Wana Brands Foundation in 2021 with a $50 million endowment. In May 2024, she stepped down from her role as CEO of Wana Brands to devote more time to the foundation. Whiteman has emphasized the foundation's focus on "life essentials," stating: "It's hard to enhance your life when you're hungry, and you don't have a place to live, and you don't have the right to vote."

On the foundation's philosophy, Whiteman has said the foundation resonates with the quote: "There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in." This reflects the foundation's commitment to balancing immediate response with long-term systemic change.

Additional Leadership: Specific information about board members, trustees, or other staff is not publicly available. The foundation works with a corporate social responsibility team that vets nonprofit partners.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Wana Brands Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grants are awarded through:

  • Proactive identification of organizations by foundation leadership and trustees
  • Community input and listening sessions to identify local nonprofit needs
  • Strategic partnerships developed through the foundation's network
  • Corporate social responsibility team vetting process for 501(c)(3) status and mission alignment

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation takes a community-driven approach to identifying partners. Based on publicly available information, the foundation:

  • Listens to local communities to identify which nonprofits need support, suggesting they engage with community stakeholders and partners who may make recommendations
  • Vets organizations through their CSR team for 501(c)(3) status and alignment with their eight pillars of giving
  • Participates in the cannabis industry community, particularly in Colorado, where relationship-building may occur
  • Operates the annual #4ward20 campaign, which has historically focused on specific themes (e.g., food insecurity in 2022)
  • Partners with over 150 organizations, suggesting they build long-term relationships rather than one-time grants

The foundation's trust-based philanthropy approach emphasizes "building personal relationships based on personal connections and shared values," indicating that authentic relationship-building within their focus communities may be valuable.

Decision Timeline

No specific timeline information is publicly available. As an invitation-only funder with proactive grantmaking, decision timelines likely vary based on strategic priorities and relationship development.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, making traditional success rate metrics unavailable.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not have a public application process.

Application Success Factors

While there is no public application process, understanding what the foundation values can help organizations position themselves as aligned partners:

Trust-Based Philanthropy Approach

The foundation has explicitly stated it emphasizes:

  • Collaboration and open communication - Prioritizing understanding the broader context of an organization's work rather than focusing solely on audited financials
  • Streamlined requirements - Using "concise applications that prioritize understanding an organization's mission, structure, and impact strategies," acknowledging many nonprofits lack resources for extensive applications
  • Budget understanding - Seeking "clear understanding of an organization's budget and resource allocation to ensure support is utilized effectively," though not requiring audited financials
  • Mutual respect and accountability - Moving away from "outdated practices where funders held all the power" toward "partnerships rooted in mutual respect and accountability"

Strategic Alignment

The foundation prioritizes organizations that:

  • Balance immediate needs with long-term solutions - Demonstrate "the ability to balance immediate responses with long-term change for individuals and communities"
  • Understand intersectionality - Organizations that "not only address specific issues but also understand the interconnectedness of these challenges," recognizing "how overlapping identities shape the experiences of marginalized communities"
  • Build capacity - Organizations "engaged in capacity building not only enhance their own effectiveness but also empower others to do the work"
  • Focus on innovation - Projects that bring innovative approaches to entrenched social problems
  • Address "life essentials" - Work that ensures people have access to fundamental needs (food, shelter, safety, health)
  • Work upstream - Organizations addressing root causes rather than only treating symptoms

Recent Funding Patterns

Analysis of recent grants shows the foundation supports:

  • Large research institutions conducting groundbreaking studies in cannabis, psychedelics, and related fields
  • Capital campaigns for established organizations aligned with their values (particularly LGBTQ+ organizations, cultural institutions)
  • Education access programs, particularly in cannabis-related fields and for underserved communities
  • Small to medium grants ($1,000-$50,000) to local Colorado organizations addressing basic needs
  • Multi-year scholarship programs
  • Social justice organizations focused on cannabis policy reform, expungement, and reentry

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process - This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant application methods; relationship-building and community connections are essential
  • Trust-based philanthropy model - The foundation values partnerships over traditional funder-grantee power dynamics, using streamlined processes and focusing on mission alignment rather than extensive reporting
  • Broad but strategic focus - While the foundation supports eight different impact areas, they seek organizations that understand intersectionality and address interconnected challenges
  • Community-driven approach - The foundation listens to local communities to identify needs, suggesting that strong community connections and local reputation may lead to consideration
  • Balance immediate and systemic - They fund both crisis response and long-term capacity-building, but value organizations working "upstream" to address root causes
  • Colorado connections matter - While they fund nationally, the foundation has strong ties to Colorado communities and the cannabis industry
  • Range of grant sizes - From $250 to $400,000, with median around $5,000, showing they support both grassroots organizations and major institutions

References

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